


Loyal Men and Lies

by sphynx_and_roses



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst and Feels, Feelings Realization, M/M, Pre-War, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 13:41:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20676326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sphynx_and_roses/pseuds/sphynx_and_roses
Summary: Set after the Goblet of Fire.Severus Snape takes to his home in Spinners End for the holidays and plans on laying low for a while.With the Dark Lord's rise to power and influence growing rapidly, a concerned Lucius Malfoy comes knocking on his door with rumours of betrayal and an offer that sends his world into disarray.





	Loyal Men and Lies

[[Hello and welcome to this short mini series!  
The characters and world in this fic are JK Rowlings, I am just borrowing them to add more angst to their lives!  
haha  
That aside, I aim on writing up to 5 chapters but will see how it goes once I complete the next two.  
I will also be adding appropriate tags with every new chapter and it could get bumped up to explicit.  
Thankyou and enjoy!]]

*****************************

CHAPTER 1

Carefully turning the yellowing parchment within the thick book of 'Potions of the Ancients:vol 1', Severus Snape spent another day in his gloomy study room transfixed by his reading material. Since returning to his house in Spinners End for the summer break, he had found himself with many hours at his disposal and could think of no better past time than pouring through some of the denser literature that sat upon his bookshelf. Having had very little alone time at Hogwarts,there were always annoyances and grievances with students and staff alike that tended to occupy the bulk of his personal time at Hogwarts.  
Meticulously, Severus scrawled upon the parchment next to him some carefully thought out improvisations and suggested improvements he thought, with a small triumphant smirk playing upon his thin lips,that would enhance some of these formulas.

Consumed by calculations and hypothesis, the hours passed and night had descended upon Spinners End.

It was not uncommon for Severus to be so consumed with his work that he forgot that time just simply slipped by, but suddenly there was a small crack sound in the distance and a sharp tension filled the room.  
Severus's dark eyes snapped up at once, sweeping his lank hair behind his ears as if allowing himself to hear more accurately and gently placed his quill in the ink well with a minute clink against the glass.  
All was silent, but for the first time since the dark mark burned again from Voldemort's return to power, he felt a tight knot of fear in the pit of his stomach.   
Someone had apparated outside.  
Very few people knew of his residence and those who did he could count on one hand, both ally and foe.

Forever on guard, his cool fingers found their way to the wand concealed inside his robes and curled around it in anticipation.  
"Surely is it not the Dark Lord for the mark would burn and he would not dare travel alone." He thought, slowly and tentatively easing himself out of the big wooden chair without a sound, crossing the study room and murmuring a protective charms upon the entrance points of the house.  
All was quiet though.

Until he heard the faintly distinct sound of heeled shoes click clacking against the cobbled stone path and towards his door.   
With a generous rap against the wooden door, Severus, still gripping his wand, opened the door a slight greeting his visitor with a scow.

There stood Lucius Malfoy, his mane of long blond shining hair swept off his face, his stance proud and regal with an upturned nose and a sly smile. the jeweled eyes of the snake headed wand gleamed up at Severus from under the crook of Lucius's arm; a status of wealth and power 

"Ah good evening Severus, I was unsure if I would find you here after the eventful year we've had. It would have been somewhat foolish to assume you would have stayed in that dreadful castle for the summer though, but perhaps wise to stay given the circumstances..."

His stone cold pale eyes met Severus black expressionless stare.  
"Perhaps you have forgotten or are mistaken Lucius, for you know where my loyalties lie." Without skipping a beat, Severus spoke quietly to avoid attracting any unwanted attention. Opening the door a fraction wider, he took a step back.   
"Come in." He gestured roughly , as the older man gave a curt nod and entered, his light but ornate summer robes billowing behind him.

"Merlin's Beard, this place hasn't changed at all has it?" Lucius spoke as he stood in the hallway looking around at the familiar Snape residence he had visited in his younger years, "surely some of the...more primitive furnishings have needed replacing by now..." He trailed off eyeing a telephone covered in dust and a few small non-magical photographs hanging on the wall.

Severus ignored his commented, striding into the sitting room and taking a seat near the empty fireplace. Following his lead,Lucius sat opposite Severus on a worn looking fabric sofa.

"Now then, surely you have not ventured all this way to pass judgment upon my abode and myself?State your business." he spoke with cold abruptness.

Lucius sat unfazed and smug as usual, pausing to read Severus for a moment before replying.

"Well well,that wasn't quite the welcoming I was expecting from an old friend... but perhaps your attitude confirms my suspicions of your questionable actions..."  
Quirking a silver ached eyebrow he stared and waited for a response but Severus' only answer was silence.

"Come now, you and I both know what I am alluding to. " He said sharply "Where were you, Severus, on the night that the Dark Lord rose again? The dark mark burns for us all does it not?"

"I am fully aware of the signal Lucius, you have no need to remind me, however I was, indisposed, fulfilling His duties...which I might add are between our Lord and myself." He replied cooly, his gaze boreing into Lucius slate blue eyes. 

Being a master in occulemency, Severus had leaned how to conceal his thoughts and block others from reading his mind, however it was certain that this was not the only reason Lucius had come here. No, there was a slow simmering anger beneath the other man's regal demeanor.

"Liar!" Lucius sneered "you were summoned by the dark lord and yet you failed to appear. You are aware of our obligations when summoned and your absence is unforgivable-"

"-It is up to the Dark Lord who he deems is unforgivable and who is seen to serve him with loyalty Lu-" 

"-You were working for that fool Dumbledore aren't you! you traitorous-"

"-CAREFUL! With the words that you chose to utter in my home ..." Severus' voice dropping to a low and cautionary murmur that stopped Lucius's retort in its tracks.   
Severus stood up suddenly, walked over to a cabinet, retrieving a bottle of aged fire whiskey and two crystal goblets. After a moment's silence with only the pouring of spirits to fill the void, Severus handed Lucius a glass and heavily sat back down into the chair again.

"These are dangerous times Lucius, dark times where baseless accusations can get both parties killed. My allegiance is to the Dark Lord alone. I cannot speak of the tasks I have carried out in his name and have no desire jeopardise his rise to power. "

Lucius took a contemplative sip of the blazing brew, absorbing Severus' words and weighing up his options.  
Choosing his words carefully, Lucius studied the lank haired man for a moment  
"Forgive me Severus, I bare no ill will, but the Dark Lord knows...one foolish mistake.."  
"...will get YOU killed? Will punish YOU by torturing your wife and son?" Severus retorted with a hint of bitterness.

Ignoring this, Lucius shook his head  
"The death eaters are whispering, they doubt you and your loyalty and it wont be long until our Lord begins to consider this. The Dark Lord can never truely trust any of us, he will always be looking for cracks within his inner circle..." An odd hint of fear crept into Lucius' voice and Severus felt the shift in the conversation at once, he knew where this was heading, into somewhat uncharted territory.

Lucius took a gulp of whiskey again and anticipation coursed through his veins, knowing the subject was drawing nearer. Despite this, on the outside he looked as cold as ice as he stared at Severus straight in the eye.  
"I have come here tonight with a proposition for you. "

"Oh? And what kind of proposition would that be? And why does this concern you so suddenly?" replied Severus,

"It concerns me because we are on the cusp of am impending war. Surely you can sense it too, the Dark Lord will return to power once and for all and I fear he will kill you, if not over the rumors of disloyalty then for your half blood status."

Severus drank in his words along with the liquor. The older man wasn't wrong, deep down they both sensed it, they could never speak it but they both knew they wanted out, they had made a fatal mistake in supporting the Dark Lord all them years ago .

"Perhaps... what is your idea then? " Murmured Severus, he was starting to feel uneasy.

Lucius leaned back against the sofa and tented his slender fingers together.  
" Simply put, as you are painfully aware , I desire you Severus and I feel that deep down you may have similar feelings you care never to admit to. But this is not what this is about at all.  
I want you to submit to me, a fellow death eater within the Dark Lord's inner circle. I want you to show me your utmost loyalty, let me in, create memories with me that will leave a ...lasting and powerful impression."

The two men started at each other tensely across the table,Severus knew what Lucius was implying without spelling it out.  
His expression hardened as she stared at his friend for a tense moment.

"No, out of the question." he countered flatly.

But the cogs were turning, mulling over those degrading words.  
It was true though, Lucius was offering him a way out, a chance at survival.   
The Dark Lord was incapable of understanding love or the emotional ties that came with it, but he did understand power, submission and dominance. It would be easy for him to slip into Lucius's most recent memories and find Severus there, on his knees looking up at Lucius as he glared down upon Severus, the epitome of subservience.

"Be rational Severus. While you are valuable, your loyalty has been called into question on numerous occasions. Our lord will be tightening his circle, looking for the weakest chinks in the chain and others will be on alert too, noticing your absences and relaying all information back to him!...You may think I'm a fool or a deviant, but I am trying to look out for you."

This time the lank haired man knocked back a drink and felt the burn hit his throat.  
People were taking notice.  
Lucius, had taken notice.  
Could he take chances in times of speculation?  
He would be of no use to either side if he was dead.  
He observed the cool expression on his friend's face.  
Lucius, like himself, gave nothing away of his emotions, just his usual appearance of aloofness.  
While he was well aware of Lucius's attraction towards him, the odd drunken kiss or flirtation was one thing, but this was too much.

"There are other ways to create memory-"

"Ah but not so accurately when one hasn't experienced a dalliance in that type of activity surely."

Severus was not the intimate type, it showed in the crossing of his arms, the defensive aura he shrouded himself in and the many buttons on his waistcoat. He was not weak,he couldn't just let Lucius do things to him. 

"Come now Severus don't be coy" he leaned forward examining the slightly tormented expression on the lank haired mans face  
"It is just sex, a primal craving for power and enjoyment. You are my friend and we have known each other for the longest time. I hold you in the highest regard.... no humiliation, no judgement... it will only be you and me."

The heat rose to his cheeks and Severus looked away for the first time since the man sat down.   
There had always been a simmering attraction towards the blond, this was true and had been since their school days.   
However, his emotions were repressed and they would stay that way.  
"You know I can't.." he hesitated but before he could gather his thoughts again, in a whirl of robes Lucius abandoned the sofa in front of him and leaned back on the seat next him , his arm around Severus' stiff shoulders.  
He felt the heat from Lucius' hand upon his leg and as he turned to face the older Slytherin with a look of incredulity.

"You can... just let me help you..." he breathed as he leaned in , cupping the younger mans cheek with his slender fingers and kissing Severus ever so softly with a sigh.

Panic rose within him.  
His friend, this kiss , it had different intentions attached.  
This was not playful or mocking at all.  
Lucius was trying to seduce him.  
Severus could feel the man trying to coax his lips apart, his fingers hot against his face.  
He felt the mans hand tighten upon his leg.  
A surge of adrenaline rushed through him suddenly, as he shoved the man away with such force that it shocked them both.

Panic caused Severus to jump to his feet immediately, his hands trembling slightly.  
He backed away from Lucius who had been flung to the floor, his hair now disheveled and his brows knitting together in a menacing expression.

"How dare you try to take advantage of me..." Severus spat furiously, "Get out of my sight! Now!" he commanded withdrawing his wand and holding it at the ready.

He watched as the blond slowly got to his feet and smoothed down his robes.  
Like a creature that had been bested by it's prey, he retreated couple of steps and glared intently at Severus.  
Now he was an open book, he could see the confusion, embarrassment and anger all rising to the surface .  
That cold Malfoy demeanor revealed a much more human Lucius that he hadn't seen in a long time.  
"Very well then. You have made it PERFECTLY clear that you wish to seal your own fate and I cannot help you with that." 

Time seemed to slow as Lucius Malfoy tossed back his hair and strode towards the hallway.  
His wand remained firmly gripped by his still trembling fingers.  
The blond turned slightly as he crossed through the doorway  
"If you don't overcome your shame and insecurities Severus, they will be the death of you."  
accompanied by the sound of the front door shutting with a heavy bang.

It took a while for the potions master to calm down again, long after he had heard the distant crack of apparition.  
Feeling somewhat shaken, he fell into the chair and poured himself another whiskey. He found himself staring at the wall, his mind blank from what had transpired.  
His fingers graced his lips and his eyes closed of their own accord.  
The memory replayed in his mind, the little airy sigh... the softness of his friend's lips...the light graze of fingernails against his cheek.  
He stifled a sob that managed to escape from deep down and swiftly chased it down with whiskey.  
It wasn't just the possibility of death, nor the pressure of being a double agent ...  
It was the desperate and heart wrenching need for human contact that made him feel ill.


End file.
